prallimall proves best, wins 8/9/16 Super Tuesday, $62K

This week's Super Tuesday final table featured a couple of Brazilians and two players from Canada, but it was Germany's prallimall ultimately prevailing in the end to earn a $62,322.66 first prize following a heads-up deal.

A total of 377 players took part in the $1,050 buy-in tournament, making for a prize pool of $377,000 that easily exceeded the $325K guarantee.

It took just over five hours and 40 minutes for the field to play down to 54 players and the bubble to burst, at which point david owie enjoyed a big chip lead with over 540,000 -- about 150,000 clear of the nearest challenger.

A couple of hours later they were down to 18 players with MrP0P the new leader and david owie having slipped to a short stack.

It took a half-hour, but then the first two eliminations of the final table happened in back-to-back hands.

First it was HateLove888 opening with a min-raise to 50,000 from middle position, prallimall three-betting to 125,000 from the big blind, and HateLove888 calling. The flop came 5♣9♣9♦, and after prallimall continued for 150,000, HateLove888 called. The turn then brought the 4♦ and an all-in push by prallimall, with HateLove888 responding by calling all-in for 277,574.

HateLove888 was primed to double-up with T♣T♦ versus prallimall's 6♥6♣. But the river brought the 6♦, giving prallimall a two-outer for the pot and knocking HateLove888 out in ninth.

On the next hand, riversouza raise-shoved for 217,131 from early position (not quite nine big blinds' worth), PhilRoyal888 reshoved from the next seat, and everyone else got out. PhilRoyal888 had A♣K♠ while riversouza needed help with A♠Q♦. The board came eight-high, however -- 8♥7♥8♦2♥5♦ -- and riversouza was done in eighth.

About a half-hour later, the blinds were up to 15,000/30,000 when BOOGANDEHAH -- no longer the chip leader as prallimall had moved into first position -- opened for 64,200 from the cutoff, then PhilRoyal888 shoved for 418,480 from the small blind and BOOGANDEHAH called the push.

PhilRoyal888 showed 4♥4♦ and was hoping the small pair would hold versus BOOGANDEHAH's A♥T♥. But the T♠Q♥T♣ flop gave BOOGANDEHAH trip tens, and after the K♠ turn and K♥ river, PhilRoyal888 departed in seventh.

They crossed the tournament's 10-hour mark, and about 10 minutes after that BOOGANDEHAH made a just-over-2x opening raise to 85,600 from the butoon and got one caller in Rafael "GM_VALTER" Moraes from the big blind.

The flop came Q♥6♠6♥, and Moraes check-called a bet of 47,500 from BOOGANDEHAH. The turn was the J♦ and Moraes checked again, and this time BOOGANDEHAH bet 136,488. Moraes responded with a check-raise all-in bet of 507,985, and BOOGANDEHAH called.

Moraes had 9♦6♦ for trip sixes, but BOOGANDEHAH had flopped a full house with Q♦Q♠. The 9♠ river then gave Moraes a lesser full house -- not enough, though, to prevent him from exiting in sixth.

Rafael "GM_VALTER" Moraes

Not quite 15 minutes later, the blinds were 20,000/40,000 when prallimall raised to 80,000 from under the gun and dawid8702 called from the big blind. The flop came 9♥7♦8♥, dawid8702 pushed all-in for 345,060, and prallimall called.

dawid8702 showed K♠T♦ and prallimall Q♦T♣, meaning both had open-enders and dawid8702 the best hand at the moment with king-high. But the turn was the Q♠ to give prallimall a pair, and after the 8♦ river dawid8702 had fallen in fifth.

Play carried on, and eventually a short-stacked saks80 jammed for 463,107 from the small blind (a little less than 8 BBs) with 5♥4♥ and MrP0P called from the big blind with Q♣6♣. The board ran out 6♥9♣T♣3♦A♦, giving MrP0P a pair and ending saks80's run in fourth.

The final three players moved beyond the 11-hour mark, then with the blinds at 30,000/60,000 it was BOOGANDEHAH opening to 128,400 from the button. MrP0P then repopped to 320,000 from the small blind, BOOGANDEHAH reshoved for 1,819,360 total, and MrP0P called.

BOOGANDEHAH had K♣Q♠ and MrP0P A♥T♠. The K♠A♠3♦ flop gave each a pair, though MrP0P was still ahead. The turn was the 4♣ and river the 4♠, and BOOGANDEHAH was out in third.

The final two played one small hand, then paused the tournament to discuss a possible deal with prallimall ahead with 5,030,515 and MrP0P sitting on 4,394,485.

Even before figures were produced, MrP0P made it clear an even chop was the only deal to which MrP0P would be agreeing, and by the time the host arrived prallimall was on board with such an arrangement. Each player was guaranteed $57,322.66, and with $5,000 set aside for the eventual winner play resumed once more.

It would take just one more hand to decide it.

First prallimall opened with a min-raise to 140,000 from the button, then MrP0P made it 420,000 to go and prallimall called.

The flop came all hearts -- Q♥9♥K♥ -- and after MrP0P led for 420,000, prallimall called. The turn then brought the T♣, and this time MrP0P checked. prallimall fired 840,000 into the opening, and MrP0P called.

The river was the A♣, and MrP0P checked again. prallimall responded by pushing all-in, and MrP0P called with the 2,707,485 left behind.

MrP0P had A♥K♣ for two pair, but prallimall's J♦9♦ added up to a straight to win the pot, the extra $5K, and the title.

Congratulations to prallimall for topping this week's tough Super Tuesday field to claim a $62,322.66 first prize. And kudos as well to MrP0P for making it to the heads-up deal and earning a nice $57,322.66 payday as well.